Lifetime of Fear — Gary B. Boyd

Space Train Engineers are a contrary lot. The most contrary of all is Adin Bartlett. Joint Commander Kevin Masters personally selects Adin and his Bountiful Express crew, Conductor Bella Bok and Space Miner Shendo "Spook" Khoper, for a historic assignment to mine microbes on a distant planet in Home's solar system. The microbes are needed to replenish surface life on Home, a planet whose loss of atmosphere has forced humans to burrow into tunnels for survival. The adventure is fitting of true Home Heroes. Only Spook, a Technologist with unnatural intuitive abilities, has reservations about the assignment. Adin's only complaint is that the desk Engineers thrive on theories that don't fit and ignore realities. Bella is the balance for the combination of the aggressive and tentative natures of her crewmates as the space train encounters the unknown with minimal information.
The adventure opens the crew's minds to unbridled fears, fears that far exceed their experiences as asteroid miners, and exposes them to dangers outside of human understanding. The crew's complementary abilities are the only things that can bring their assignment to a safe conclusion - if their assignment can be completed at all.